JD Ultra-Trail Great Wall by UTMB DGW100

DGW100 uses the mountain landscape around Zhangjiakou to connect the Great Wall with centuries of regional travel and defense history. From Dajingmen, runners pass through high grasslands, old trade corridors, beacon-tower country, and the city's surrounding hills. The event pairs a long overnight challenge with unusually varied cultural terrain.

The 100-kilometer course gains about 3,800 meters and allows 26 hours. It follows portions of the Zhangku trade route, crosses alpine grasslands, and encounters Ming Great Wall ruins, beacon towers, and military tunnels. Runnable stretches are broken up by exposed climbing and rough historic paths before the return toward Zhangjiakou.

Early autumn in Zhangjiakou can move from mild sunshine to cool, windy conditions, especially on open grassland and wall sections. The evening start means runners should prepare for falling overnight temperatures. Dry air, exposure, and a large day-to-night swing can complicate hydration and layering.